Seven Seconds
by wolfd890
Summary: 2 months after Redline, the events winners JP and Sonoshee have joined up to race in the same team. However sinister forces plan to exact revenge for the events that took place on Roboworld back then. Filled with action, adventure, and a little romance, this is a very straight forward story about the 2 main protagonists, and how they discover each other and perhaps themselves.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to fan fiction, having read about a dozen or so stories, mostly about InuYasha, Case Closed, Mononoke Hime, and a random Spirited away work. I have little writing experience, so I'm guessing this first work will be rougher than 40 grid sandpaper. :D I chose redline because the story in itself has no obvious plot other than the redline race itself, with little effort being made to understand the characters. On top of that, because of the story's surroundings (multiple planets, other species) I can be fairly creative with technologies that may or may not exist. The story takes place after the movie, and all I can say is I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

2 months after the Redline race...Planet Zarate

The sun was already low over the 'western' horizon but the heat was still relentless, even in the shade of the large cherry trees hanging lazily over JP. The blossoms had long since come and gone, leaving behind green unripe spheres by the thousands. In time they would ripen and become a feast to all manner of creatures, but by then he hoped to back behind the wheel of his yellow Trans am. He spent a lot of time on his back looking at the sky, unless of course he was racing. He hadn't done a lot of that since winning the redline competition over 2 months ago, and it was starting to show. After a long sigh JP sat up, patting down the pockets of his pants and jacket looking for his smokes. It was his 3rd pack this week, and it wasn't even Wednesday. He finally found the tattered pack of lucky strikes, empty...

_'Of course' _he cursed silently.

A low grunt and he got to his feet, starting to walk towards the park exit. It wasn't very big, but he came here often because of the view it offered of the city's greater metropolitan area, currently a sea of orange light and deep shadows cast by the large skyscrapers. He tossed his empty pack in a waste basket, and headed left onto the sidewalk of a not so busy street.

_'I should head back before Sonoshee gets mad again'_ he thought as he scratched the back of his head.

_'Gotta hit the vending machine first though'_

Hands in his pockets now he darted across, not bothering to look because hardly anyone nowadays used Tarmac roads anymore. It showed too, as he glanced at a rather large pothole to his side. No sense in fixing roads if no one's going to use them. Up above he heard the whine of anti gravity pods fixed to the bottom of a sleek looking chrome hover car.

_'Damn shame'_ he thought as he reached the vending machine. Producing some change, he fed it into the old fashioned coin slot, and hit one of the buttons, after which the machine made a loud clunk. Quickly removing the thin plastic, he fished out a cigarette, and lit it with a cheap old Zippo. After a long drag, he leaned up beside the machine and looked around.

This was a mostly human world, but every now and then some odd looking creature or other would be visible in the crowd. It didn't phase him any, considering his best friend was scaly and an off shade of blue. No one took note of him beside the vending machine. Racial discrimination was rare nowadays, but no one still gave a damn. There were a lot of bums around, and nowhere for them to go, no government funded relief programs, just the good old Salvation Army, who had somehow endured over the centuries. It would have saddened the original founders if they knew that the organization was alive and kicking after so long. Since then it had merged with similar interest groups from other planets, but the name stuck. So much for progress, he snorted, smoke escaping from his nostrils.

The sun was below the horizon now, and the first street lights were beginning to flicker to life, insects buzzing below. He could hear the monotone buzz as the electricity surged through the transformer at its base, and began to cast him in an orange light. Tossing the butt of the cig, he stepped it out from underneath it and headed into the growing evening crowd.

* * *

Later that Night;

_'I'm baack'_

It was already after dark when he reached the front door, and he was sure to get an earful from Sonoshee for being gone again all day. Foreseeing the probable outcome, he had wisely picked up some flowers on his way back, which would hopefully minimize the damage he was about to incur. _'They don't call me "Sweet" JP for nothing'_ he smirked as the words crossed his mind. He kicked off his shoes, but decided to leave the jacket on. Ahead of the lowered entrance area were a set of stairs, and off to the left a hallway that led to the garage. Judging from the mouth-watering aroma however, Sonoshee must be in the kitchen. She was a surprisingly good cook. That, coupled with her love of racing and good natured attitude made her a gem among women. He truly admired her for her courage and never give up attitude. He scaled the stairs, flowers hidden behind his back, and made straight for the kitchen. She was leaning over the counter, reading a recipe from a cookbook no doubt. This gave him a splendid view of her curvy figure, currently dressed in a pair of short denim shorts and her signature 'T' shirt with the numbers 78 on the front. The sight of her made his heart flutter a little.

_'Hi Honey'_

No response...

_'How was your day?'_

A glare from over her shoulder...

_'Getting warmer'_ he thought as he gave her a wide grin and produced the flowers from behind his back.

She sighed, and finally turned to face him.

_'And where have you been all day...again?_' She said sternly, crossing her arms.

_'Oh, you know...here and there'_ He started.

He couldn't tell her that he was actually racing. Nothing special of course. It was in fact only Go-Carts, but that didn't matter to JP. Any and all racing was fun, no matter how childish. As long as it had a motor and wheels, he was game. One of these days he was hoping to bring Sonoshee along and have an honest to god date, something they simply haven't had time for at the moment. For now though he kept his little secret to himself, though he was sure Frisbee knew what he was up too.

Frisbee had been his friend for as long as he could remember, and he knew JP better than anyone. Having sabotaged the Trans am not once but twice had set back their relationship somewhat, but Frisbee had shown real remorse. That was enough in JP's book, and he splitting that big cheque from the now deceased mafia boss Frisbee had been working for helped too. It allowed him and Sonoshee to settle in this quiet part of the galaxy, and have plenty of doe left over to keep racing professionally.

He realized that his train of thought had drifted, and shook his head lightly, focusing again on his love, who had finished scolding him. From the look on Sonoshee's face, she seemed to have forgiven him, and had once again focused on dinner. JP made himself useful by setting the table, and placing the flowers he got her into a water filled vase.

She turned to look at him, and smiled at the scene she saw. Normally not one to swoon over men, she realized that she had hopelessly fallen for JP. He really was sweet, and she found it cute how he clumsily tried to set the table. His face was long and narrow, his eyes a piercing blue. He wore dark pants, and a black leather jacket with red stripes. How he could dress like that in this heat was beyond her. JP was lanky, with long arms and legs, a slim build, and long pointy ears that were pierced in multiple locations. When she first met him, she thought him to be an immature hot shot, constantly pulling out his silly comb to brush his hair to perfection. But once she began talking to him, she realized that past his punk look he was actually a great guy. He's polite, sincere, and caring. When he races he never uses weapons against other drives, even if they do! He believes in chivalry, which in this day and age was something truly special...and moronic.

After dinner they lounged on the couch, Sonoshee sitting between JP's legs, head leaning against his chest, their fingers intertwined. The large half dozen floor to ceiling doors leading from the living room to the deck were wide open, allowing a gentle breeze to cool off the house. Crickets were buzzing outside, and the ceiling fan was lazily turning overhead.

'_How are you doing with your hover racer?'_ he inquired.

Looking at nothing in particular, she began to open her mouth, but hesitated. Silence again filled the room as she chose her words with care, before she finally spoke.

'_I'm making good progress, but the ECU programming software is giving me a headache.'_

'_ECU?'_ he asked.

'_Engine control unit'_ she giggled.

'_It monitors and regulates all aspects of the engine, like fuel delivery, compression, valve control and so on'_

He gave an understanding grunt, having once again learned something new about the very machines he drives for a living.

JP didn't know jack about how his car worked, but he did know how to drive it, and drive it well. He had a tendency to push the limits however, and more often than not something would break, sometimes rather spectacularly. She had no idea how Frisbee, his mechanic could put up with his reckless attitude. When she had beaten him in the previous Yellow Line race, he had actually been in the lead before the rear tire bid him farewell. Sonoshee had won because of Frisbee's deceit, and that didn't sit well with her.

She didn't trust Frisbee, mainly for what he did to JP in the previous races. They had talked briefly on a number of occasions, and he seemed like a competent mechanic. As a person though she didn't think too highly of him.

JP kept saying they should try to get along, seeing how they would now share a garage and all. She had agreed because her hover car had been a complete write off after Redline, and she lacked the funds to rebuild it from scratch. JP's car hadn't fared much better, disintegrating right before crossing the finish line and sending them to what could only be described as a foot race to the finish. The last few weeks had been spent sourcing parts and assembling their individual vehicles. Old Man Mole, their parts supplier and overall handyman had been extremely helpful in acquiring what she needed for her new Hover car, and this one was sure to be an improvement on the previous version. All in all it wasn't a bad setup. They shared a garage, and she now shared a place with JP.

They continued lounging until about 10, and decided to head in for the night...

* * *

All right, first chapter done! I know redline is a racing themed movie, but these first chapters focus on getting to know the characters further, rather than driving fast machines. Throughout writing this I have battled with run-on sentences. My work only requires me to write technical descriptions for construction floor plans, and sentence structuring is non-existent. I've looked it over a number of times, and one or two lines still look suspicious. If you find anything wrong, please let me know. Other than that, I hope you liked it, and I look forward to what you have to say. cheers


	2. Chapter 2

I actually completed the story this spring, but am posting a chapter a week so I can read over it in detail and fix whatever I find. The one thing that erks me is when people begin writing, and then stop, leaving the story unfinished. Having an update once every few months is ok. But when the last chapter was written 5 years ago, it pisses me off. That's why I decided to finish this story before I even posted the first chapter. It wouldn't be fair to you if I simply gave up halfway through, no matter the reason. This defeats the purpose of constructive criticism, but I'm ok with that, considering I'm stubborn anyway:D

* * *

Rays of sunshine slowly made their way up to the foot of the large bed, illuminating the thin white sheets hanging over the edge, making the room unbearably bright. Roused from his deep sleep, (JP always slept like a rock) the first thing he reached for was the glass of water somewhere on his night stand. He somehow always, no matter what way he was facing slept with his mouth agape.

'_Damn, my tongue feels like a dry piece of leather. _

His hand felt around for the glass for a good 15 seconds before he grimaced.

_Gahhh! Where is the damn glass?'_

He didn't want to open his eyes due to the bright light, but was forced to when his hand came up empty.

'_Where the hell is it? I swear I put it there last night...'_

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and looked at the night stand, clear of objects except for a night light and digital alarm clock. He frowned again, suspecting who might have moved it.

As he rose, he spotted the now empty glass on the dresser across the room, along with a sticky note. He walked up to the glass, eying it suspiciously. There was a faint amount of lipstick on it, no doubt left there on purpose.

'_I guess this is what I get for being late again last night'_, he mumbled to himself while scratching the back of his head. His hair was a mess, but he would deal with that in a moment. Next he focused on the note, reading it without picking it up.

"_Hey Hun, thanks for the drink :P I'll be out this morning shopping, but I've made a to do list for you. You'd better stick to it too, unless you don't value your life"_

His eyebrows rose up slightly, and he wondered if she would actually do it if he didn't comply. Glancing at his to do list, and seeing that it wasn't too long, he decided to submit. He hadn't dated very many women, but he was wise enough to know that housework wasn't just a feminine responsibility.

She did after all tinker on cars, something that JP didn't do.

'_Shit'_ he said to himself. _'If Frisbee saw me now he'd tell me I was whipped'_

Speaking of Frisbee, he should be coming over in about an hour, looking back at the clock of his nightstand to confirm.

'_I better get my ass in gear'_, he thought as he heading into the ensuite while pulling his t-shirt off.

He emerged 30 minutes later, freshly showered, and hair gelled in his signature top curl.

'_Time to get to work!'_ He loudly announced to the bedroom door.

The next 30 minutes were spent donning an apron and vacuuming, doing the dishes from last night, and starting laundry. This may be the future but cleaning robots still cost a fortune.

After that, he stepped out onto the deck to enjoy a smoke. The view wasn't the greatest, but at least they had a deck. It was a modest sized house, with 3 bedrooms above, including the master. The downstairs was almost exclusively dominated by the high tech garage, with the exception of a small mechanical room that serviced the house.

It was a pretty sweet setup, and he was glad that he was no longer living in that ratty old apartment he used to call home. Finishing his smoke, he flicked the butt over the railing and headed downstairs. Frisbee hadn't arrived yet, but he could hear Old man Mole working on something.

No one knew his real name, and it never had occurred JP to ask the odd looking man working on what looked like a roll cage for his yellow ride.

Old man Mole, while almost looking human...was not, to put it bluntly. He was wearing a green track suit, although he doesn't run. His complexion was gray, and he had bushy white eyebrows and a matching mustache. The oddest thing about him however was that he had 4 arms as opposed to two. This came in very handy a lot of times, and right now was no exception.

His two lower arms were currently grasping the round steel pipe of what looked like a roll cage, while his upper arm was manoeuvring a MIG* welder skillfully around a blazingly hot pipe connection. The final arm held a welding mask up to his face, and JP cursed himself for looking at the light, his vision now obstructed by small dancing dots.

'_Hey Mole'_, JP said loudly over the screeching the MIG was making. Mole didn't respond with the exception of his ears twitching, most likely wanting to complete the weld before stopping. Eventually he put the now whole pipe down, pausing to remove the still attached grounding clamp.

'_Morning JP'_ he said gruffly.

'_How are you making out on the Trans Am?'_ he asked cautiously.

Mole had been arguing with Frisbee again on which direction the build should take. Frisbee wanted speed and power, while Mole leaned more toward upgrading suspension, steering, and tires. Personally JP would have liked to go with more power over handling, but what Mole said just made sense.

Blue line races rarely exceed 200 miles per hour, with twists and turns more numerous than the yellow line races. Frisbee had told him once that Horse Power has to increase exponentially in order to increase speed due to air friction. That's why nowadays race cars look like planes more than anything. A big engine may be beneficial for acceleration and sustaining high top speeds, but with the tight tracks he will be facing at the blue line events that won't count for jack.

In the end his team had decided to build 2 identical Trans am shells, one fitted with the old engine setup but upgraded handling characteristics, the other a pure speed beast, able to handle a whooping 3 doses of the infamous 'Nitro Boost'.

Last time he had used a Steam light, given to him by Sonoshee. That little crystal had completely demolished his ride, but it was also the reason he, no they had won the race. He couldn't have done it without her.

'_Well as you can see I've almost got the body finished. It took a lot longer than usual because of the duplicates I made for the other shell. Frisbee hasn't been helping much, the little shit.'_

JP was leaning over the engine bay of the yellow muscle car, elbows resting on the protective cloth over the fender. He nodded, looking around at the state of the garage. It was actually split up into 3 areas.

Two large work areas separated by a tool storage area, containing shelves and benches. Sonoshee's red hover car, the Crab Sonoshee, was sitting on the other side, nearly complete. Some of the equipment she had procured was truly high tech. Compared to her car, the setup he had looked amateurish. The difference really did look like day and night.

'_Ah, I also decided to upgrade your defensive capabilities. It's a nifty little gadget I got from a friend who works for a defense contractor. They call it Photonic hardening armour. It's hardened light that encases surfaces and protects against impacts. It won't affect the aerodynamics of the car, nor will it increase the weight, apart from the device itself. Hopefully it will keep your car in one piece longer. God knows you'll need it with the way you drive.'_

JP gave the old man a displeased look, but decided to ignore the insult.

'_Sounds complex'_ he said cheerfully as he pushed himself up and began to walk towards the quirky devise Mole now had in his hand.

'_But considering how vicious the completion has become, I'm actually glad to have this.'_

Redline was like Vehicular warfare. Most racers fitted military spec weapons on their rides, in addition to having unique capabilities. Some could tunnel underground, or race over water such as the Crab.

'_How on earth did your friend give this to you?'_

Mole stroked his moustache, looking quite proud.

'_He actually gave me three. Two for your cars, and one for you lady friend's crab. You owe me big-time pal.'_

'_No way! Three?'_

'_Yeah. With all that doe Frisbee got from Inuki _(mafia boss) _and our winnings from redline, we can afford some of the best shit in the galaxy.'_

'_We could retire with money we have now, but where would the fun be in that, right?'_

The deep voice was coming from behind JP. He turned and saw Frisbee, dressed in a tacky looking beige suit and matching hat. The colour really clashed with his blue skin, but that was probably the point.

'_Hey Buddy, you finally back from your little business trip? Not getting yourself into trouble again, right?'_

Frisbee rolled his eyes and snorted.

'_No mom'_, he sneered as he pulled out a smoke.

'_I was just telling our driver about our nifty little defence acquisition'_ Mole said before turning back to the work at hand.

'_He shouldn't need to use it at the Blue line events, seeing how use of deadly force is grounds for disqualification. But it should come in real handy during the next yellow line race next year.'_ Frisbee finished.

'_Better safe than sorry I guess. There's always the chance of someone pulling a dirty move'_

Actually that happens a lot in Blue line too, and depending on the host world, corruption and refs being bought are common occurrences. JP listened closely, but didn't really process the words as they entered his ears. His mind was elsewhere right now, thinking ahead to what the rest of the day would bring...

Having completed his household duties, JP set out and into town. Sonoshee had taken their only Street legal vehicle for the day, so he was SOL. While hover cars were the norm now, old fashioned train service on this world was still very much alive, and crowded as ever. Never one to like train rides, JP endured the half hour trip towards the city center.

His reason for this outing was special. For the last few weeks JP had been searching the web for another Steamlight. He wanted to surprise Sonoshee for her birthday, which was coming up in a few weeks.

The city they had settled in was named New Zaragoza, and looked to be large enough to offer what he was searching for. Already having scoured most of the suburbs within a day's traveling distance; this was his last chance to find a Steamlight before heading to the first Blueline race.

The train began to slow, and the sunlight streaming through the windows was abruptly replaced with the faint glow of the overhead lights as it entered a tunnel. Closer to the city center, all rail traffic began to move underground to ease congestion. JP grabbed one of the support hoops hanging from the ceiling as the deceleration became more intense. A cool female voice announced the name of the station, followed by a caution to riders. The doors slid open noiselessly, and masses of people began streaming out of the train, the platform floor alive with a mass of heads and shoulders.

JP's signature hairdo stood out like a sore thumb, but rebels among society nowadays garnished little attention from the rest of the crowd. Not that JP wanted to be noticed. It wasn't his thing; he just didn't want to look like everyone else.

Exiting from the station, he found that the streets were quite busy, mostly with pedestrian traffic. It was just after noon, with the lunch rush in full swing.

'_Damn'_, he muttered. _'Should have picked a better time to come out here'_

As he slowly made his way through the crowd, he pulled out a folded sheet of paper. On it was a poorly drawn map of the downtown area, along with locations of interest. Looking around to get his bearings, JP headed left and onto another street, or Calle as the locals called it here. Looking up at the Street sign, JP realized that this place must have been settled by Spaniards a long time ago, or at least a people who spoke Spanish. He'd noticed subtle signs of this in the suburbs as well, such as the terra cotta tiles that were favoured on the roofs of houses.

Well, the climate here was very mild after all, so it made sense. He continued down the street, noting that he wasn't too far from one of his destinations.

His first stop was an upscale jewelry place. He had been to many others around town without luck, but they all recommended he should pay this location a visit. It was quite large, covering almost the bottom floor of the building it was situated in.

Stepping through the door, he was greeted by a wave of mechanically cooled air. It felt pleasant, but smelled different. Not a bad small, but unique in a way that reminded him of past summers.

A short man behind one of the many glass display cases gave him a suspicious look, no doubt because of his cloths and hair. Giving him the benefit of the doubt however, he approached.

'_Welcome sir'_, he said in a good natured tone, which sounded a little disturbing to JP.

'_Hi, umm I'm looking for something special, and word has it that you might be able to help me out.'_ JP reflected on what he just said, realizing he sounded like a greenhorn drug buyer talking to a dealer.

The store employee however didn't seem to make the same connection, and encouraged the younger man to spit it out.

'_Well, here it goes'_, he thought as he explained the reason for his visit.

The older man crossed his arms, and began to stroke his curly thin mustache with his index finger and thumb, staring distantly as if trying to recall something.

Looking up, he began to explain; _'Normally Steamlights, while incredibly beautiful, are not used in Jewellery. I do however know someone who deals with precious stones. If anyone knew where to find one, it would be him. _

_Excuse me for a second_' he said before walking off and into the employee's only area.

JP, not knowing what else to do began to look around. His mind began to wander as he glanced over the engagement ring areas, trying to picture Sonoshees reaction if and when he finally did pop the question.

The thought made him smile, but he was quickly disrupted by the curly moustache man, who had returned with a tattered old business card.

'_Here, it's quite old but he should still be at the address on the back.'_

JP held up the card, nodded and began to head for the door. _'Great, thanks a lot. I'll be sure to stop by here sometime to pick up something for the missus' _

The store employee flashed him a quick smile, this one genuine, and gave him a quick wave.

JP flipped open his cell and entered the address on the back of the card into the maps application. He panned and zoomed in and out of the map a bit, looking at the distance from where he was now.

Alago'n, huh? He'd been to a few places there, but not this one. He started for the subway station, thinking of what stops he had switch trains in order to get there. He decided to peruse this lead first, because most of his other targets in the city were jewelry stores as well.

* * *

Later the same day, back at the house:

Yes! He had actually gotten a Steamlight from the man recommended by that jewelry employee. It was tough to convince him to give it up. The old man whom he got it from was an avid racing fan, and recognized JP from the Redline coverage 2 months prior. He firmly believed that JP only wanted the Steamlight to boost his car, and while he liked racing, he loved precious stones more.

JP had pleaded, explaining that he simply wanted to return to the stone to the girl that was with him at the time. Even after believing him, the old man was a tough haggler, and JP was at a disadvantage because the owner knew he wanted it badly.

'_20,000 CR'_, JP muttered. Damn, you could buy nice set of wheels with that. He was still locked in his old ways, back when money had always been tight. Having it now didn't change his views too much.

'_It was still a shitload of cash'_, he thought as he looked at the stone sitting on the coffee table in front of him. Now all that needed to be done was place it in the gold necklace Sonoshee had, and wrap it up!

'_Hey, do we even have any gift wrapping paper?'_ he asked himself, looking around the living room.

Below in the entrance he heard the door open, and JP scrambled to quickly hide the Steamlight, deciding to put it in his Sock drawer for the time being.

'_Wait a minute, Sock Drawer...CRAP! The laundry!'_ He never finished it after stuffing it into the dryer. Moving quickly, he grabbed 2 armfuls and started folding as Sonoshee rounded the corner.

'_Oh, hey. Fancy seeing you here.'_ she mused. JP gave her his best displeased look, but it looked phony.

'_What? I live here too you know... How was your day?'_

Sonoshee was in the kitchen by now, filling a glass from the tap before downing it. After a satisfied ahhh, she began.

'_I picked up the ECU software we were talking about yesterday, and spent the rest of the day shopping and getting my nails done.'_ Now that the heavy work was finished on the Crab, she rewarded herself a little before the first Blue Line race next week.

'_Oh, great! So that means you'll be testing your ride in the next few days, huh?_' JP said loudly from the laundry area.

'_Yep, sure am. I'll take her to the local track tomorrow for a light workout, and the beach after for a few high speed runs.'_ She lightly threw herself onto the couch, picking up a magazine she had bought earlier.

One of the other reasons they had settled here was the close proximity to a race track, as well as the ocean. The track itself was actually part of an old airstrip, long since decommissioned by Zarate's Air force.

Stationed there used to be part of its heavy bomber fleet, leftovers from a previous arms buildup with a hostile faction from the same planet. This made the runways exceptionally long, making it an ideal location for a track. Once the Trans Am was complete, this is where he too was going to test out his new machine.

He was a bit envious when she mentioned testing over the water. On a good day, the waves where small enough that the Crab could go all out, something he couldn't do around here. Maybe he'd take the souped Trans Am for a little spin to the salt flats out east. There he could really let loose. All in due time though. Right now he had to focus on the upcoming Blue Line Races.

He finished folding, having made two neat stacks, one his, the other hers. He placed hers on her dresser, and started to put away his.

After, he emerged from the bedroom and gave her a kiss, which she returned lovingly.

'_Hey, I was thinking'_, he started. She looked up from the couch at him with curiosity, waiting for him to continue.

'_How bout we go out for a date tonight? I know this great place...'_

*MIG (Metal Inert Gas)

* * *

I hope I didn't ramble on about the little things too much. My biggest worry is providing enough detail so the story doesn't sound rushed. I've also tried to increase character dialogue, but it's still a little thin. Lot of tedious explaining going on early on, which will decrease with the latter chapters. Thanks for reading. cheers


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 up. Enjoy...

* * *

Roboworld's president had been put on trial for violating the arms treaties set forth by the victors of the last Great War. His generals, put on house arrest. But not all could be rounded up so easily. Colonel Volton had so far been able to elude capture, partially thanks to his newfound power when he merged with another one of Roboworlds sinister weapons projects. The good colonel had remained loyal to his commander in chief, and was currently scheming, working on a plan to free him. His plans also include exacting revenge on both the participants of the redline race as well as its sponsors, the inhabitants of Supergrass. The last part was going to be tricky, due to the fact that Supergrassians had honest to god magic which outperformed even the most advanced technologies. He reasoned that no matter how powerful he was, he could not hope to win against the creatures that had turned the heavily fortified roboworld into a racetrack simply for entertainment. But If he could not strike at them directly, he reckoned he could remove the incentives to race in that blasted event altogether. Yes, he was going to make an example of the previous participants of the redline race. Especially the winners! No one will want to race 5 years from now knowing what the consequences will be. Support for the redline race will falter, and he and his dear leader will have their revenge. He was getting exited just thinking about it, which caused the creature within him to stir. It had taken all of his mental focus to contain the creature after his fight with Funky Boy. What slumbered within him was truly a fearsome creature, and right now he didn't want it to reawaken. He remembered the relaxation techniques he had learned, and with some effort relaxed his shoulders.

* * *

The trans am was a yellow blur on the dark hot tarmac as it made its way around a particularly sharp set of corners. JP was trying to get a feel for his car, and as a result he was wiping out quite a bit. The brakes worked amazingly well, so much so that his tires regularly locked up as he entered a corner, causing him so slide straight. The alternative wasn't much better. If he let go of the brakes the car would under steer due to the great speeds. If this happened he would gun it so his back end would break out, but it ate up his tires at an alarming rate. The trick was to find the proper speed at which to enter each corner, to slow and he would begin to lose time, too fast and he would lose a lot of time. Blue line races had multiple laps, so each corner would have to be taken numerous times over the course of the race. He'd need to learn every single one if he was to stand a chance at winning. Mole had done an amazing job of setting up a track replica. Normally JP didn't go to these lengths for a race, but since Sonoshee joined the groups attitude went from laid back to almost professional. Mole certainly liked the change, and her praise.

As he cleared the last bend, His eyes caught a glimpse of red on the other side of the track. The crab Sonoshee was kicking up a cloud of dust as its driver fought to bring it back on the track. With the modifications Sonoshee had made, she was currently no better off than JP. The two were actually competing for the best time, constantly breaking their own and each other's old records. They had yet to achieve perfect laps, but were getting close.

'_Another track day and they'll be ready'_ Mole mumbled as he popped open a beer. Frisbee was already nursing his in a tattered camping chair next to him.

'_Yeah'_ he replied as he took a swig.

They were sitting in the shadow of a massive cargo ship, which acted as their mobile garage and accommodations when on tour. Its large doors were wide open, and a variety of tools and parts were kicking around just outside. It was an old Chaser Class, used extensively by the Tri Nebula Alliance over the last 4 decades. Its fleet was recently replaced by a more modern design, and they managed to snatch this one up at a government auction for cheap. JP had no idea who came up with the name. The thing couldn't chase a barge.

Mole was also the ships handy man, though Frisbee did most of the mayor system repairs. They also had two shuttles, which were used to get around if so permitted. Zarate had a strictly enforced transportation ministry, and their shuttles were not registered to fly in its airspace. The said craft were currently attached to the cargo ship, firmly held in place by large clamps.

JP decided to call it after quits after what felt like a thousand laps. His Trans Am had a large supply of fuel, negating a need for pit stops. As such he made for the head as soon he slipped out of the window. He re-emerged after a few minutes and slumped down next to his crew. Frisbee handed him a beer, minus the bottle opener. JP simply used his lighter, but decided against having a smoke. He liked to drink and smoke, but not at the same time. Beer didn't taste right if he did.

'_Thanks'_ he sighed, flicking the cap in Frisbees general direction.

'_Boy I gotta hand it to you guys, the Trans Am just rips around corners now. I had to pull my face off the window a couple of times today.'_

'_Glad to hear it'_ Mole grinned while glancing over at Frisbee.

They continued to sit, staring at Sonoshee as she zipped by. JP thought he saw her wink, but couldn't be sure.

'_She sure is something'_ Frisbee said quietly. JP picked up on his tone, but his brain to mouth filter failed him for what he said next.

'_Hey Fris, why don't you find yourself a nice girl and settle down? You ain't getting any younger, and judging from what your old man looks like; you need to hurry your ass up.'_

'_Haha, little shit.' He closed his eyes with a ticked off look on his face. _

_I'll end you!'_

JP laughed as Frisbee shot out of his chair, chasing him around a pile of used tires. Mole simply shook his head. In the 20 years he'd known them, they hadn't changed. Frisbee finally caught JP by his collar, and put him in a headlock.

'_Hey, hey, hey, watch the hair!'_

Sonoshee was nice, but JP was his best friend. Frisbee could never betray him like that. Plus he knew he'd never have a chance with her. How that dolt did was beyond him. But he'd be lying to himself if he didn't feeling a little jealous of them. There were a few of his kind on Zarate, mainly clustered in the immigrant neighborhoods to the North. Considering this was now their new home, he should look around a little better.

Frisbee snorted.

'_As if I care about your Johnny Bravo look!' _

Next he grabbed JP's leg with his other arm, pulling him behind his back until he heard a grunt and a satisfying pop!

'_Uncle'_, JP wheezed.

'_What was that, friend? I didn't catch that.' _

By now there was a huge smile on Frisbee's face.

Frisbee was getting better at martial arts, and while this was a stretching move, it was enough because JP wasn't very flexible. Ever since those mafia goons had beaten the living daylights out of him he'd been practicing, vowing never to be beaten like that again.

'_Settle down you two!'_ Mole barked after another minute or so of screaming.

The sun was beginning to dip under the horizon, its rays illuminating the clouds in such a way as to cause them to glow brilliant orange. Sonoshee was slowly idling towards the cargo ship, finally done for the day. By then the boys had finished off most of the case, and JP's face was slightly red. Frisbee looked bluer rather than red, and mole was just mole.

Her engines spooled down, and Sonoshee hopped out of the cockpit of her racer, stretching before she walked over. JP gave her a friendly smile, but didn't get up when she stood next to him. Quickly, she snatched the bottle out of his hand, and finished it off.

'_Hey!'_ JP sputtered in protest. _'You can't drink. You've got to drive.'_

'_Relax Honey, we still have to put away he cars. I'll be fine by the time we leave.'_

She patted him on the shoulder before walking back to the crab, a motorized dolly in tow. She hooked it up to the red racer, and pulled it into the cargo ship. JP followed her lead, and the Trans Am fired up with a loud rumble. He eased off the clutch and the car moved forward and into its designated slot in the ship. Afterwards they helped Frisbee and Mole gather the parts they had used throughout the day. After stowing them, they locked up the ship and piled into JP and Sonoshee's hover SUV. The drive felt nice, cool air entering through the open windows and sobering up JP. They dropped off Mole at his apartment, waving as they ascended back into the light traffic far above. The scenery from the sky roads was stunning, so much so that there were signs posted reminding people to pay attention when driving. They were like the billboards of old, but with 200ft poles instead of the original 30. Some of them even hovered. JP rested his head up against the B pillar of the car, feeling at ease.

'_This place really was nice'_ he thought as he closed his eyes. Frisbee's stop came up a few minutes later, also an apartment complex. Instead of landing on the ground floor however, they let him out on the roof. It was common practice now that cars could rise above buildings, and it cut down on the number of midair collisions as well. Thin poles rose up as they approached the large apartment building, strobe lights fitted on the top. The car bobbed slightly as the anti grav pods adjusted for the sudden weight change when Frisbee exited.

'_We'll pick ya up tomorrow bud. Have a good night' _JP called, arms crossed and eyes still shut.

Frisbee waved casually as they rose once again, heading for home.

The next day was much like the previous one. They hastily got dressed, scarfed down breakfast, which in this case was cereal, and left the house to pick up the rest of the crew. The remainder of the day was spent at the track, fine-tuning and practicing. They wrapped up early though, and headed back in the late afternoon for a celebratory BBQ. Along the way Sonoshee picked up a few small things from the Grocery store. When they arrived home she ordered her minions to do her bidding while she started dinner prep. Mole was doing dish duty, cleaning with two hands while drying with the other two. JP and Frisbee were forced to clean and prep.

The guests/neighbors began to show up an hour later with various dishes, among them Seafood Paella*. JP had a soft spot for it, and was eying it like a Wolf would a Sheep. Sonoshee warned him to keep his hands off it, but he was willing to risk incurring her wrath should he get caught, which he didn't plan on being. The BBQ was lit by then and manned by Frisbee, who had a knack for grilling. Most of the guests were couples, but some had brought small kids with them. Mole was the unofficial baby sitter, which he didn't mind. He was currently holding 4 of them with his hands, pretending to do arm curls. Needless to say the little ones were having a blast. The men and women broke into separate groups, talking about everything from their occupation to sports to plain gossip.

They had introduced themselves earlier this month at the monthly neighborhood meeting, hitting it off with the locals pretty good. It helped that their faces were known throughout the galaxy, but these people didn't look to be fame seekers. They simply enjoyed good company. Dinner was served soon after, and a number of folding tables were set up in order to accommodate everyone. The kids were confined to their own table, mole having been relieved of duty by a few of the mothers. Cleanup was a fairly easy affair. Paper plates and plastic cutlery had done well since their invention back in the 20th century. As the evening progressed, so too did the amount of passed out children in the guest bedroom and couch. JP had been convinced by the guys to give a tour of the Garage, which currently only housed one of his Trans Am's. Sonoshee pouted a little because the female crowd didn't seem too interested in Motor sports.

Soon though the gathering ran out of steam, and people were thanking them and leaving to turn in for the night. The sun had long since set, leaving a tired racing team plastered to the couch. The doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of Mole and Frisbee's taxi. Sonoshee had insisted they take one instead of walking or using public transit. They didn't protest, and hugs were exchanged before front door shut and the house was finally theirs.

Because they were due to leave tomorrow, they decided to clean up before heading for bed. For some reason they both couldn't stand to leave the house in its current state for over a week while they were absent.

Thoroughly exhausted JP finally stumbled into bed, followed shortly after by Sonoshee. She felt him twitch once, then again, a sign that he was already halfway to LaLa land. After her head hit the pillow however she was right behind him and a mere 5 minutes after lights were out, not a creature was stirring in the house.

The next morning brought a flurry of activity as they pulled out their suitcases from storage and threw together whatever items they deemed necessary. JP had the honour of carrying the luggage to the hover SUV while Sonoshee was getting ready in the washroom. Afterwards he retrieved the steam light from his drawer, now coupled with the necklace he had swiped from Sonoshee's jewellery box earlier.

One odd thing about Steam lights was that they never exceeded a certain size, and thus his replacement fit the necklace's empty slot exactly. Something about collapsed antimatter crystals not being able to grow infinitely without reaching critical mass. He hadn't really paid attention to the Old man after getting an answer to him asking if it would fit. He slid the necklace into his jacket shortly before she re-emerged.

'_Ready Sonoshee?'_

'_Yup, lets skedaddle!'_ she replied.

It had started raining during the night, lowering the ambient air temperature. It felt cooler but not pleasant because of the increased humidity. Rain was somewhat rare in New Zaragoza. The low pressure system that had come ashore was therefore no surprise to either of them due to the broad television coverage. JP got into the driver's seat after unplugging the power cord, and watched sonoshee as she locked up the last door and rushed to get into the dry hover car.

'_You couldn't have parked in the garage, huh?'_ she growled after she got in.

JP began to whistle quietly whilst looking up at nothing in particular.

'_I love you?'_ hequipped.

Sonoshee snorted in amusement, not really mad in the first place. She just liked to put him on the spot.

He waited until she had buckled up, and pulled the vehicles steering wheel towards him. The red SUV hummed as the anti grav pods attached below began to propel them straight up. He then pressed the gas pedal lightly, which caused it to ease forward while still ascending. The rain had also cooled the hot surface, and much of it had evaporated, creating low lying clouds and fog in some areas. The road signs had therefor advised drivers to remain at a lower altitude. The large signs were displaying repeating animations of vehicles zooming under the cloud cover, with green checkmarks below and red X's above. The small hovering lights to either side of them had remained on. They glowed green as they passed them and red when JP looked in the mirror. At night these lights negated the need for headlights, a bonus because one wasn't blinded by oncoming traffic anymore. Cars were now identified by strobes and small amber indicator lights; much like old aircraft used to be and still are.

Zarate's Transportation Infrastructure was state of the art, as was its healthcare. There were a number of other worlds that fit the description, but most were meshed into larger alliances and had large standing armies with conscription requirements. Zarate was an independent planet, neutral to anyone, and largely left alone by everyone.

It was also centrally located in relation to other important locations in the galaxy. Faster than light travel was a reality, but distances greater than 1000 light years could take up anywhere from 3 day to 2 weeks one way, depending on distance. Most "airlines" had cryogenics compartments for travelers, but even with those people simply could not afford the absences from work and home for such a long period of time.

JP realized he had been on autopilot when they reached the cargo ship. He didn't remember the majority of the drive, which was somewhat disturbing. It must not have been too bad though, considering Sonoshee hadn't screamed at him pulling one of his usual driving stunts.

Sonoshee flipped open her cell and called mole, asking him to open the cargo doors. After half a minute of random noises and a few curses coming through the cell, the SUV putted through the now open doors. JP backed into the designated corner, and switched off the grav pods.

The SUV's sensors measured the distance and gradually decreased power until it settled on bulky looking rubber hard points now pocking out from underneath.

JP proceeded to unload the luggage, setting it aside in order to help mole fasten the cargo straps to the car and deck plates. After this they headed towards the crew quarters, located up a set of metal stairs and down a long hallway. Considering they were a couple they got the captains quarters, by far the largest cabin on the ship. The journey to Supergrass would take a little over two days, and the cargo ship wasn't equipped with cryo chambers.

It didn't matter however because the ship had been slightly renovated to make the longer trips more bearable. While the bridge and cargo hold remained largely the same, the briefing room had been turned into a living area. Parts of the wall had been removed to connect it to the kitchen, which had been overhauled as well. The intercom had been rigged up to a stereo by JP, which the rest of the group thought was less than stellar.

After tossing the suitcases, they headed towards the bridge. There would be plenty of time to unpack later. At the end hallway they had taken was a ladder, slanted at an angle. Climbing to the top, they found themselves in the cramped bridge. It was more of a cockpit really, not much bigger than their SUV. The seats were comfortable, form adjusting and reclined. JP had a rudimentary understanding of space flight. He slotted himself into the left seat and began to flick on the com system. Sonoshees began the cargo ships start up sequence.

_'Ground control, this is Soarer 419. Do you read me?'_ he spoke clearly and with authority.

A crackly male voice answered them after a few seconds.  
_'Soarer 419, this is ground control. We read you loud and clear.'_

_'Ground control, requesting permission for takeoff.'  
_  
There was a long pause, and the continuous sounds of static began to worry JP. They had submitted the required documentation for leaving Zarate's airspace a week prior, well ahead of the normally allotted processing time. Hopefully the air traffic controller was simply checking over their paperwork.  
By then the engines were spooled up and humming quietly, though clearly audible.

_'Soarer 419, please stand by as there is a commercial flight passing over your current sector.' _

_'Confirmed Ground control, standing by.'_

JP looked over at Sonoshee, who was running a diagnostic on the engines while they waited. He stretched out his arm, which she noticed. Duplicating his movements, they held hands for a few seconds.

_'Exited?'_ he asked.

She nodded, but before she could respond the radio crackled again.

_'Soarer 419, you have permission to take off. We have transmitted your flight path. Please remain below subsonic speeds until you reach 15000 feet. Ground control out.'_

Sonoshee had received the flight data and plugged it into the navigational computer. Normally they would take off manually, but in this case they allowed the autopilot to take over. The ship began to vibrate as the engines tried to overcome the grip of gravity on the ship. The swivelling thrusters on either side of the hull were directing plumes of fire directly towards the ground, assisted by the few anti gravity pods that were recently fitted by Frisbee and Mole.

The hull made one last groaning sound before the cargo ship lifted off. The thrusters began to turn horizontally as the vessel gained airspeed and altitude. JP had his hands close to the auto pilot disengage toggle should something go wrong. They watched their progress briefly through the cockpit windows before they entered the low lying cloud cover. Their Chaser was now clawing its way through the atmosphere at around 700 miles per hour.

At a little over 15000 feet Sonoshee increased thrust, and was rewarded by a loud boom as they passed through the sound barrier. After another minute or so they emerged from the sea of clouds, the cockpit space lighting up brightly as sunshine found its way in. The vibrations began to subside as the air became less dense, and soon the vibrant blue sky darkened into an inky bluish black. The first stars were now visible to JP, and he was beginning to feel lighter.

_'Exiting Zarate's gravitational well, engaging artificial gravity.'_ Most things on the ship were magnetic, and therefore clung to the hull with or without gravity. The sheets on their bed or the suitcase however where not, and he didn't want to find their quarters in a complete mess.

The autopilot had fulfilled its purpose, and JP disengaged it before coming about to align the ship for the hyper jump. Sonoshee had entered Supergrasses co-ordinates into the nav computer, and as long as they were roughly pointing in the right direction it would do the rest.

'_Preparing for hyperjump. Stand by.'_

He flicked the intercom off again, and nodded for Sonoshee to proceed.

There was the usual sensation of intense acceleration right before the jump, and the stars were replaced by complete and utter darkness. The sub light engines went silent, replaced by a gentle hum from the hyper drive. For the next two days they would not need to return up here. Sonoshee unbuckled first, lifting herself out of the co-pilots seat and heading back down the ladder. JP simply let himself relax in the seat he was in, and followed after a minute or so.

* * *

Colonel Voltron was equally busy at the moment, making final preparations for the assault on the Military prison where his dear president was being held. Though most of his forces were wiped out when funky boy was unleashed, he still had control of a sizeable force. That force was currently aboard their last remaining carrier, the sister ship of the one lost on Roboworld. They were mere minutes away from dropping out of the hyperspace tunnel. An hour ago the final mission briefing for his senior staff had wrapped up, and currently mission objectives were being handed out further down the ranks. He was confident that his plan would succeed. Though of no real strategic value, the freedom of his leader was intended as a morale boost to his troops. They were currently without a home world or official leadership, and that would surly affect their performance for the coming phases of his plans.

On the bridge the crew was busy reading the carrier for battle. Shields were raised, and weapons were armed or charged. The normal lighting was replaced with red before an announcement was made that they would exit hyper space. The mechanical voice counted down from five, and Voltron braced himself for the sudden deceleration.

The large reinforced glass windows revealed a bright blue world where mere seconds before there had been only darkness. Immediately the carrier launched its fighters, intended as defences. Afterwards the bombers departed, and made for the planet. The carrier had also started unleashing an orbital bombardment on unseen targets on the planet's surface. The world was sparsely populated, clearly intended to be a militarily run. Recon showed only 2 light craft, both frigates of the alliance, and nowhere near enough to thwart their attack. They could be seen on screen, keeping away at a safe distance, no doubt sending a panicked flash communication back to the alliances headquarters.

'_Too bad. I had hoped they would be closer when we arrived'_ he smirked.

The carrier was slow compared to the smaller craft, so giving chase would do them no good. On the other hand the small garrison had no hope of surviving an engagement with the massive craft.

After the bombers a wave of drop ships and individual orbital drop pods were deployed. The attacking ground troops were highly mobile, but weighed in excess of over a ton. This made the drops ships less favourable than individual pods. Instead they were loaded with light ground troops. Cameras were equipped to the troops, and their progress was being followed closely in the ships tactical situation room. The first drop pods had touched down close to the complex, whose main buildings remained untouched from the orbital strikes. The compounds perimeter was a smoldering ruin, with raging fires and large craters dotting the surface.

'_Resistance should be light'_ Volton thought, observing the multiple screens.

Roboworld forces where flushing out surviving pockets of resistance around the complex while the drop ships were making their approach. The lesser equipped troops began to probe various entrances of the prison complex which were too small for the larger mobile units. The defenders had had little warning and almost no chance to prepare an effective defence. In some instances holes were blasted in the walls if the fire was too intense though, and the alliance forces were quickly overwhelmed.

The president of Roboworld was sitting on his cot, his eyes closed and his ears perked as he tried to focus on the sounds emanating from outside his prison cell. Some time ago he had heard explosions, many of which had caused dust to fall from the ceiling. He also heard gunfire and screams which were steadily getting louder. After months of solitary confinement he was grateful for the change, even if they were sounds of war. He had an idea of why this prison was under attack, which caused him to smirk. For now though he just sat there, waiting in anticipation if his guess was correct.

* * *

*Paella is a Spanish rice dish that mixes various vegetables, proteins (fish/chicken/beef/beans), and spices into pure deliciousness.

I guess it was time to introduce the main villain. Voltron in the movie simply disappeared once the racers had moved on from where he and funky boy were tearing the place apart. No explanation was given as to what happened to him, and considering he turned into this hideous creature with a head in its mouth (think doom 3) I choose him as the main bad guy.


	4. Chapter 4

Short chapter this week, it just wrapped up to nicely to hang on more. I re-re watched the movie to get a firmer grasp of racer interactions, so there will be swearing. It's not a personal writing preference, just how the characters talk. I'm sorry if it offends any of you, but the show must go on...

* * *

JP and Sonoshee's jaws were almost touching the ground. Neither had ever been to Supergrass before, and while they had mentally braced themselves, it clearly wasn't enough. It seemed as though the laws of physics didn't even apply here. They gazed upon reverse falling waterfalls, large floating plots of land high in the sky, and local inhabitants flying on what looked like bus sized dragonflies. The spaceport they had just exited was by far the most normal looking thing here, like a small island of reality in a sea of ridiculousness. Everyone knew that the inhabitants of Supergrass were generally carefree, but this was extreme. The buildings didn't look structurally sound at all, and upon leaving the port JP noticed that the very ground they were walking on was in fact bouncy, like the trampoline he used to jump on when he was a boy. Walking was therefore an awkward affair, and the human looking locals that walked along giggled when they saw their strange movements. Luckily they weren't alone. Due to the upcoming race, Supergrass was filled with all manner of odd looking creatures. And they all had the same dumbfounded looked plastered on their faces.

He desperately hoped that the race circuit wasn't made of the same stuff, otherwise he, and anyone else who still used old fashioned wheels would be royally screwed. Sonoshee saw his expression and guessed correctly at what was going through his head. She gave him an evil grin, and he knew exactly what she meant.

'_Don't even start woman!'_ he said loudly with an annoyed look.

Sonoshee was enjoying watching his troubled face, not even needing to remind him of how foolish he was sticking to the old ways.

'_It may be noble, but it sure as hell wasn't smart'_, she thought to herself, her grin widening.

Frisbee and mole had remained behind on their small cargo ship. Small was a relative term. Normally they would have resided there, but Supergrass had a full blown civilization with superb accommodations. Had it been anything like Europass, they would have gladly stayed aboard.

They had pre-booked their hotel (if you could call it that) and found a large group of people waiting in the lobby. The floor, walls and ceiling were made of gingerbread panels, the crown molding being icing with candy embedded within. Walking up to the almost empty VIP area, they announced themselves, and were promptly checked in.

'_Looks like the hotels in the area are booked solid with the blue-line race coming up.'_ She mused.

'_Yeah, I guess so. Good call on pre-booking our room hun'_ he replied.

'_No sweat handsome'_

They smiled at each other as they walked towards the elevator area in the east wing. From the outside the hotel looked like a giant green vine, so he found it somewhat odd that they would label the wings when there were no wings to speak of. The elevators where a little different as well. A lot different actually. Sitting in front of them was a rather large caterpillar with what looked like a saddle on his back. On the saddle were about a dozen seats, and some room in the back for luggage. The caterpillar was very hairy, but incredibly soft. It started to koo happily when Sonoshee pet it.

'_It's so cute'_, she squealed as she ran her hand over its side again and again.

'_JP you have to touch it! C'mon!'_

JP didn't know what to make of her behaviour. He had never seen Sonoshee so giddy and childish before. Thinking back, even when she was younger, her mind had always been set on racing and never giving up no matter how tough the race. She was always so serious. Seeing this side of her made JP really happy for some reason. He felt that he had learned something new about his partner just now.

'_All right, all right'_, he said as he walked up beside her and put his hand of the caterpillar, his farcical expression showing mild interest. It really was incredibly soft!

'_Hey I wonder if it will turn into a butterfly?'_ he joked as her face filled with excitement at the comment.

She chose a seat near the very front, hoping to get a better look at Supergrass during the ascent. JP, with the help of the bell boy finished loading their luggage, and let himself slump into the seat next to Sonoshee.

_'This should be interesting'_

Not long after, the rest of the seats were taken, and the caterpillar handlers told everyone to hold on. Sonoshee grin was so large by now it stretched from one ear to the other. The caterpillar moved quickly, it's midsection rising and falling as it scaled the side of the large vine. Several other caterpillars could be seen at various heights, going either up or down. The rapid up and down motion should have made them sick, but didn't. Very soon they had cleared the odd shaped buildings around the base of the vine, and got their first clear view of the landscape around them. There was a pink haze, so visibility was down to about 15km. But what they could see amazed them. The floating islands were casting dark shadows over the densely populated land far below. It was breathtaking. JP's ears kept popping, only reinforcing the thought that they were strapped to the back of a giant insect miles up in the air. As they were looking up they began to notice the vine spreading out rapidly above them. It took on a flat shape, the vines spreading out in every direction to form a circle. They were nearing the top, and with each passing second they were able to make out more intricate details about their final destination. On the bottom of the now horizontal vines hung silky cocoons, clearly the next evolutionary step for their friend beneath them. Finally clearing the canopy, they were stunned to see a small city nestled firmly atop of the vine they had just scaled.

'_That's the royal palace in the center, isn't it?'_

When JP and Sonoshee won redline, they had the honour of meeting with the young princess of the kingdom Supergrass. Sonoshee had instantly hit it off with the petite heiress, treating her like the smaller sister she never had, much to the horror of her savants who worshipped the ground around her. Upon saying goodbye, the princess had invited them to visit if they were ever in their part of the galaxy.

_'I take it we'll be going there at one point or another?'_ He asked, knowing the question was rhetorical.

_'You got it!'_ she replied.

Their caterpillar ride finally stopped, and they disembarked. Sonoshee gave her new furry friend one more good scratch before walking towards JP, who trying to locate their room on a large "You are here!" Plaque.

'_Hmmm, looks like we'll have to go straight, followed by a right at that food joint.'_ The air was definitely thinner up here, they noted as they began to walk. Not enough to cause shortness of breath, but it just didn't feel that thick. It was a feeling you would never notice near the ground. As if all of a sudden you became aware of every breath you took. As they rounded the corner of the restaurant, JP spotted a familiar face. It was a blue youth, with large wing like ears, and dark bluish black hair. He had seen him before, twice in fact. The first encounter was indirect, back when he first approached Sonoshee on Europass. _'Trava was his name I think...'_, he thought as he kept walking. At the time he had just gotten his ass kicked by another fellow, whom was also with him right now. His name was little Deyzuna if he remembered correctly. He had no idea why he was given the suffix "little". The guy was well over six feet tall, and really knew how to fight.

Trava noticed the couple as they drew closer, and was eyeballing them cautiously.

_'Well, if it isn't the famous 'Sweet'JP and Cherry boy Hunter Sonoshee McLaren'_.

_'Hey!'_ Sonoshee protested, crossing her arms.

_'You can quit using that nickname any time now, buddy. I've got JP now, so stop calling me that.' _

_'Hmpff, whatever.' _he grunted as the shoved his hands in his pockets.

_'So'_ JP grinned, going on the offensive. _'You decided to make up with your boyfriend?'_ glancing from Trava to Deyzuna. Deyzuna clenched his fists, a single tear streaking down his red metal cheek.

_'Hey, shut the fuck up!'_ he yelled before bringing his fists up.

Knowing he crossed the line, JP held up his hands, palms facing outward. _'Sorry bud, take it easy now. No harm done, right?'_ He'd forgotten that it didn't take much to set Deyzuna off.

_'Well, we'd better get moving. Say hi to your creepy red faced mechanic when you see him.'_ JP yelled as he made his way down the wide boardwalk with Sonoshee.

_'Go to hell, you bastard!'_ Trava responded.

Unbeknownst to either party was the fact that something was watching them. A creature that didn't stand out from all the rest, but was by far the most unique on Supergrass. It watched their "friendly" interaction, its focus lingering on the blue skinned boy. As the group split, it stealthily followed Trava and Deyzuna, it motives as wispy as the air around them.

* * *

I have no idea if caterpillars actually make noises, I completely BS'd that part. I thought about making it purr, but decided against it. These next few chapters are a little...wild. I had no idea where this was going; I only wrote the first things that popped into my head. But considering it's a magical world, I subconsciously threw in a bit of Disney, as well as elements of the brothers grimm stories.


End file.
